Speed-governor for motor-vehicles.



Patented Mar. 11, 1913.

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EDWARD A. I-IALBLEIB, OF ROCHESTER, NEIL YORK, 'ASSIGN OR TO NORTH EASTELECTRIC COMPAl- Y, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

SPEED-GOVEILA OR FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 11,1913.

Application filed August 4, 1911. Serial No. 642,318.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. HALBLEIB, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Speed-Gr'overnors for Motor-V, hicles, of which the following is a specificatnn.

This invention relates to improvements in speed governors, the inventionbeing particularly useful in connection with motorvehicles, but beingalso adapted for use in connection with internal-combustion engines usedfor various other purposes.

One object of the invention is to produce a device which willautomatically govern or limit the speed of an internal-combustionengine, and which is simple in construction, and does not necessitatethe use of constantly-moving mechanism. To this end I dispense with theusual centrifugal mechanism and employ instead, as the controlling forceof the governor, the back-pressure produced in the exhaust-pipe or. ductof the engine, this back-pressure lgging. utilized through a movablediaphragm, oi tjui-v alent device, to cut out the power-impulses, orotherwise retard the operation of the en gine, when the back-pressurerises to a degree corresponding to a predetermined speed in the engine.

Another object of the invention, relating particularly to its use upon amotor-vehicle, is to so control the engine as not only to limit thelatter to a predetermined speed in itself, but also to limit thevehicle, as a whole, to a predetermined speed of movement notnecessarily dependent upon the predetermined speed of the engine. Tothis end I employ a centrifugal mechanism, or equivalent device,operated by a movin part of the vehicle and so interconnected with theengine-governing device as to retard the operation of the engine,whatever the speed of the latter may be, when the vehicle as a wholeattains a predetermined speed.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan-view of an'iotor-vehicle equipped with this improvement; Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsection of one of the parts indicated in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is adiagrammatic planview of a modified construction.

The invention is represented in the drawing as applied to an enginehaving the usual cylinders 1 and exhaust manifold 2 with a dischargepipe 3 that leads to a mufiier I. The timer 5 and the spark coil 6 arecon nected as usual with the battery. 7 in the primary circuit 8, butthe circuit instead ofbeing grounded as usual, includes within it acircuit-breaker 9 which is ivoted at 10 and rests at its free end on tiecontact 23. This circuit-breaker serves to cut out temporarily theignition of the engine under the influence of the speed-controller.

In previous speedgovernors for internal combustion engines it has beencustomary to control the speed of the engine, either by throttling thegas supply or by cutting out the ignition through the mechanical actionof some part that is revoluble with or driven by the engine. Thespeed-controller which I have devised is broadly new in that it isadapted to be operated by the exhaust from the engine.

In the embodiment of the invention dis closed in the drawings, a pipe 20is tapped into the exhaust pipe 3 between the engine.

and the mufiier 4, and this pipe leads into a chamber 21. This chamberisclosed by a diaphragm 22, to which a stem 22" is attached that bearsagainst the circuit-breaker 9, so that an outward movement of thediaphragm forces the circuit-breaker away from the contact 23, andbreaks the circuit. The speed-controller is operated whenever the speedof the engine reaches the point where the exhapst cannot discharge fromthe mufiier without, creating a back pressure in the pipe 20 sufficientto move the diaphragm 22. When the circuit is broken by the movement ofthe diaphragm in the manner described, the engine runs under m0- mentum,exhausting unexploded gas till the pressure in the pipe 20 is relieved,whereupon a spring 24 closes the circuit-breaker. The spring 24 issuitably supported above the switch, as by a bracket 26, so that itbears against the switch and opposes the action of the diaphragm 22. Thepressure of the spring is adjusted by an adjustingscrew 27 whlch isscrewed into the bracket 23 and bears on the spring, so that thespeedcontroller may be made to operate at different pressures in thepipe 20, and accordingly at different speeds of the engine.

In order not to subject the diaphragm to the pulsations of the exhaust atortuous passage 25 is provided in the pipe 20 which maintains a uniformpressure against the diaphragm by retarding the passage of the gas. Asimple way to make this passage, as shown in Fig. 2 is to cut a spiralgroove 28 around a cylinder 28 and inclose the latter in a tightlyfitting casing 29.

In addition to, or in place of, the adjustable means provided by thescrew 27 for establishing the point at which the speed controller willoperate to break the circuit, automatic means are provided which arecontrolled by the speed of the vehicle. In Fig. 1 a centrifugal governoris shown that has weighted arms 11, 11, connected by links 12, 12, witha sliding collar 13 that is located on a spindle 14; The spindle 14 isrotated damper more or less according to the speed of the vehicle andthe corresponding move ment of the weighted arms 11, 11. The closing ofthe damper chokes the discharge pipe 3 and consequently brings thepressure of the exhaust gases to bear upon the diaphragm 22. When thespeed of the vehicle is reduced the weighted arms resume their normalpositions and the spring 32 opens the damper, thus relieving thepressure on the diaphragm 22 and permitting the spring 24.- to close thecircuit-breaker 9 and reestablish the primary circuit of the ignitionsystem.

In Fig. 3 the centrifugal governor just described ,is combined with thespeed controller operated by the exhaust fromt he engine, by operatingdirectly on the circuitbreaker, so that a movement of the collar 13under centrifugal action of the weighted arms 11, 11 causes thecircuit-breaker to be moved away from the contact 23, thus breaking thecircuit. The free end of the circuitbreaker, beyond the contact 23, isbent at right angles, and the sleeve 13 moves in a direction at rightangles to the line of m0vement of the stem 22' carried by the diaphragm22. When these two speed-controlling devices both operate directly tobreak the primary circuit it is evident that the circuit will not bereestablished'till both the speed of the vehicle and the speed of theengine have fallen below the prescribed limit. This isimportant becausethe speed of the vehicle may, under certain conditions, be below theprescribed limit and yet the speed of the engine maybe so high as to beinjurious to the mechanism, as, for example,

vehicle may exceed the prescribed limit,

though the engine may be working below the limit prescribed for it.

I claim 1. The combination, with an engine of the explosion typeincluding a duct for carrying 80 away the gases exhausted from it, of anignition system, a switch in the circuit of the system, means adapted tooperate upon the switch to open the circuit under pressure of theexhaust, and means whereby pressure of the exhaust is brought to bearupon the operating means when the speed of the en-,

gine becomes excessive.

2. The combination, with an engine of the explosion type including aduct for carrying away the. gases exhausted from it, of an ignitionsystem, a switch in the circuit adapted to break the circuit whensubjected to a predetermined pressure, and circuit controlling meanssub3ected to the pressure of gases exhausted from the motor, and adaptedto be operated thereby to move the switch to break. the circuit, whenthe speed of the engine becomes excessive.

3. The combination, with an engine of the explosion type including aduct for carrying away the gases exhausted from it, ofan' ignitionsystem, a spring controlled switch in the circuit of the system adaptedto break a the circuit when su jected to a predetermined pressure, andmeans subjected to the pressure of gases exhausted from the motor andadapted to be operated thereby to move the switch -to break the circuit,when the "speed ofthe engine becomes excessive.

4. The combination, with an en 'ne of the explosion type including aduct or carrying away the gases exhausted from it, of

an ignltion system operated by an electric circuit, a switch thereinadapted to break the circuit, and means whereby the pressure of thegases exhausted from the engine is brought to bear upon said switch.

5. The'eombination, with an engine of i the explosioh type including aduct for carryingaway the gases exhausted from it, of an ignition systemoperated by an electric circuit, a spring controlled switch thereinadapted to be opened to break the circuit,

means adapted to receive the fluid pressure of the exhaust and totransmit it to the switch to open the latter, and a connection betweensaid switch operating means and the duct for conducting the exhaust fromthe engine.

6. The combination, with an engine of the explosion type includinga ductfor carrying away the gases exhausted from it, of an ignition system"operated by an electric circuit, a switch therein adapted to be openedto break the circuit under predetermined pressure, means wherebypressure of the exhaust is brought to bear upon said switch, and meansfor regulating thepressure required to operate the switch.

7. The combination, with an engine of the explosion type including aduct for carrying away the gases exhausted from it, of an ignitionsystem operated byan electric circuit, a switch therein adapted. to beopened to break the circuit under predetermined pressure from theexhaust, means adapted to receive the fluid pressure of the exhaust andtransmit it to the switch to open the latter}. and a tortuous passageconnecting said means with the duct for conducting the exhaust gasesfrom the engine.

8. The combination, with an engine of the explosion type including aduct for carrying away the gases exhausted from it, of a system ofignition, a switch in the circuit of the system, a circuit-controllerhaving a diaphragm adapted to move ,under fluid pressure and havin alsoa part adapted to be moved with said diaphragm to open the switch, andconnections between said circuitcontroller and the duct for conductingthe exhaust from the engine.

9. The combination, with an engine of the explosion type including aduct for carrying away the gases exhausted from it, of a system ofignition, a switch in the circuit of the system, a circuit-controllerhaving a diaphragm adapted to move under fluid pressure and having alsoa part adapted to be moved with said diaphragm to open the switch, and atortuous passage connecting ing said means with the duct for conductingthe exhaust gases from the engine.

10. The combination, with a motor-vehicle having an engine of theexplosion type, of a systemof ignition, a switch in the circuit of thesystem, means adapted to operate upon the switch to open the circuit,means whereby the switch-operating means is operated when the speed ofthe engine becomes excessive, and automatic means controlled by thespeed of the vehicle regu lating the operation of saidswitch-operatmeans. 11. The combination, with a motor-vehicle having anengine of the explosion type including a duct for carrying away thegases exhausted from it, of an ignition system operated by anelectriecircuit, a switch therein, means whereby the exhaust is brought to bearupon the switch to break the circuit, and automatic means controlled bythe speed of the vehicle for regulating the pressure of the exhaust uponthe switch operating means.

12. The combination, with a motor-vehicle having an engine of theexplosion type including a. duct for carrying away the gases exhaustedfrom it, of an ignition system operated by an electric circuit, a switchtherein, means for moving the switch to open it adapted to be operatedbythe gases exhausted from the engine and having a connection with theduct that conducts the exhaust gases from the engine, and auto maticmeans controlled by the speed of the vehicle for restricting thedischarge of gases through said duct whereby the pressure of the gaseson the switch operating means is regulated.

13. The combination, with a motor-vehicle having an engine of theexplosion type including a ductfor carrying away the gases exhaustedfrom it, of an ingition system operated by an electric circuit, a switchtherein, means whereby the exhaust is broughtto bear upon the switch tobreak the circuit, a damper in the exhaust duct, automatic meanscontrolled by the speed of the vehicle for regulating the damper, and apipe connecting the switch operating means with the exhaust duct at apoint between said damper and the engine.

14:. The combination, with a motor-vehicle having an engine of theexplosion type including a duct for carrying away the gases exhaustedfrom it, of an ignition system operated by an electric circuit, a switchtherein, means whereby the exhaust is brought to bear upon the switch tobreak the circuit, a damper in the exhaust duct, and a centrifugalgovernor having a convehicle for regulating the damper.

15. The combination, with an engine of the explosion type, ofgoverning-means operable to reduce the power-impulses of the engine, andpneumatic mechanism connected with the exhaust-duct of the engine andwith said governing-means, said mechanism being thus subjected toback-pressure from the exhaust-duct and operating, when 'nection withone of the road wheels I of the duct, to throw the governing-means intooperation to reduce the power-impulses of the engine, and means forvariably throttling the exhaust-duet so' as to vary the iun nt thegoverning-mezms. speed of operation of the engine upon the I. Thecombination, with :1 niotoir-veattainment of a predetermined speed in-2- hzi'ving an engine oil the LXPlUSlOU the vehicle and regardless ofsaid predezlpem of :i speedgowernm' tor the engine termined speed of theengine.

' oiled by i-zii'ifilinng in the pressure of i EDlVARD A. 'HALBLEIB.

' t-n me therein and regulate the oper- 1 moving part of the vehicle forreducing the 10 'lltlUSl) from the engine and adapted i Vitnesscs: E"ally to gmernthe engine to a prede- C. \V. CARROLL, w t-mined Speed,and means actuated by a D. GURNEE.

